Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Alters Membrane Potential and Cyclic Nucleotide Levels in Retinal Horizontal Cells

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1983-09, Vol.221 (4615), p.1070-1072
• Main Authors: Lasater, Eric M., Watling, Keith J., Dowling, John E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Carps; Cell culture techniques; Cell membranes; Cell research; Cell separation; Cells, Cultured; Cultured cells; Cyclic AMP - metabolism; Cyprinus carpio; Cytological research; Depolarization; Dopamine; Dopamine - pharmacology; Eye and associated structures. Visual pathways and centers. Vision; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastrointestinal Hormones - pharmacology; Kainic Acid - pharmacology; Membrane potential; Membrane Potentials - drug effects; Neurons; neurophysiology; Neurotransmitters; Photoreceptors; Receptors; Retina; Retina - drug effects; Retina - physiology; vasoactive intestinal peptide; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide - pharmacology; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.6308770

Vasoactive intestinal peptide stimulated the synthesis of adenosine 3$^{\prime}$,5$^{\prime}$-monophosphate in fractions of isolated carp horizontal cells. When applied extracellularly to isolated and cultured horizontal cells, the peptide also induced a slow depolarization (30 to 40 millivolts) accompanied by a decrease in membrane resistance. However, analogs of adenosine 3$^{\prime}$,5$^{\prime}$-monophosphate applied extracellularly or intracellularly, and forscolin applied extracellularly, had no effect on the membrane potential of cultured horizontal cells, indicating that the induced depolarization was not related to the accumulation of adenosine 3$^{\prime}$,5$^{\prime}$-monophosphate in these cells.